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Good fortune and bad have led to the cultural riches of Dallas. The city's wealthiest citizens have seen fit to donate their personal collections to benefit world-class art museums, while Dallas unfortunately also is known as the place where President John F. Kennedy was felled by an assassin's bullet. The city's museums offer visitors an opportunity to reflect on the lessons of history, the generosity of its citizens and the wonders of great art from around the world.

Generous Gifts

The Dallas Art Museum sits at the heart of the downtown Arts District and one of its crown jewels is the Wendy and Emery Reves Impressionist collection, housed in a recreation of the interior of their French villa. The district's outdoor Nasher Sculpture Center is home to the $400 million collection assembled by real estate developers Raymond and Patsy Nasher and includes works by Picasso, Rodin, Moore and Calder. Across the street from the peaceful Nasher is the equally soul-satisfying Crow Collection of Asian Art, housing Trammell and Margaret Crow's 4,000-piece collection of Asian art, dating from 3500 B.C. to modern times. Algur H. Meadows' collection of master Spanish works, including Goya, Miro, Picasso and Velazquez, forms the heart of the Meadows Museum on the Southern Methodist University campus.

History Lessons

The city's most notorious landmark, the downtown Dallas Book Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald took aim from his sixth floor perch at President John F. Kennedy's motorcade, now houses the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. Exhibits focus on Kennedy's life and the significance of his Texas visit. In the West End Historic District, the Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance focuses on its mission to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and "the moral and ethical response to prejudice, hatred and indifference, for the benefit of all humanity." Dallas' African American Museum celebrates the contributions of one of the city's significant minority communities, while the Women's Museum celebrates the contributions women have made to American history. Both are in Fair Park, just east of downtown.

Fair Park

This 277-acre National Historic Landmark is a potpourri of cultural experiences. It offers a walking tour of the largest collection of 1930s Art Deco architecture in the United States and also serves as the site of the annual three-week State Fair of Texas. There are several museums within the park, including the Hall of State, which details Texas history, the Museum of the American Railroad and The Museum of Nature and Science.

Kid Friendly

While its dramatic, high-rise skyline and crisscrossing freeway overpasses give Dallas a modern vibe, it once was a rustic frontier town. At Heritage Village at Old City Park, just south of downtown, turn-of-the-century Dallas has been recreated with 38 restored buildings, including a saloon, general store, bank, various cottages and even a mansion. Guides wear period costumes and react scenes from daily life, even a Main Street gunfight. The city's former courthouse, built downtown in 1892, is known as "Old Red" thanks to its distinctive red brickwork. It now houses a museum detailing Dallas County history. Kids enjoy the interactive learning center where they play old-fashioned games and dress in pioneer costumes.

About the Author

Robin Thornley has been a successful writer for more than 25 years, penning articles for national magazines, newspapers and websites. She specializes in a variety of topics, including business, politics, lifestyle trends, travel and cuisine. She also is the author of two guidebooks.

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